Summertime
by lttlelola
Summary: It's the summer after Charlies sixth year, he learns things about himself, and friends, before he gets recruited to Romania right when he needed the uplift the most.


**Summertime**

The train creaked and groaned as it pulled into the Hogsmeade station, the late June sun was shining bright and hot onto the platform, the only student standing, or sitting, as it was out in the sun was Kyana Tracel, her dark hair, the color of nicely varnished Mahogany sparkled in the sun the natural streaks of red and blond and black making an appearance as the sun shone on the hair being blown around by the wind.

Charlie Weasley shook his head as he took notice of the lone figure sitting on the platform as he took a mental head count of his house, he looked over and smiled softly as two of his brothers, just finishing their first year tormented his third brother, who Charlie would freely admit, was, well as Kyana put it, a geek. Wire framed glasses, that he only needed for reading, which meant he wore them all the time, and a constant book in his hands, add a superior tone and you had Percy Weasley. Charlie sighed seeing the gleam in the eye of the twins, "Don't even think about it."

Fred and George jumped away from their favorite plaything raising innocent eyes to Charlie's "we weren't doing anything."

Percy huffed and straightened his glasses while Charlie shook his head, "you were going to, no tricks or jokes on _anyone or thing_ until we get home and I won't tell mum you got detention your first day of school. Before sorting."

Fred muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'wanker' as he settled on a bench with his twin. Charlie shook his head and opened his mouth only to shut it when the Slytherin Prefect came up to him. "Weasley. Go get Tracel from the platform."

Charlie frowned, "why me? She's in _your_ house."

The Slytherin glared, "But she's got a thing for you."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "she does not, you just don't want to get hexed again. How's that shrinking of the extra ball she gave you for trying to order her into the school for the Christmas feast?" Charlie laughed as he walked out the door hearing the other Prefect curse him.

Kyana stiffened as she sensed Charlie come out the door, it was imperceptible she knew but she had stiffened none the less. Her back went up around Charlie for some reason, she had no idea why. "Let me guess, that pygmy puff of a prefect sent you put here?"

Charlie blinked, "how did you know it was me?"

Kyana leaned her head back, "you're the only one who ever dares to come get me anymore."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "I'm the only one you haven't hexed with something nasty."

Kyana smiled closing her eyes letting the sum warm her face, "you're the only one who treats me like an individual. I'm an outcast because of my house, and I'm an outcast there because I'm not like them."

Charlie frowned, but knew better than to say anything. About that anyway. "Kyana, you need to get up, you're going to get sun burnt."

Kyana laughed shaking her head but standing up, "I should get back up to school anyway. Too much to do before September and so little time to do it in."

"What could you possibly have to do at school all summer?"

"Reading that book I found over Christmas in the restricted section on conjuring magical creatures. I was thinking of sending you a couple hundred gnomes." Kyana smiled over her shoulder at him, and that was the first time Charlie's stomach tied itself into a thousand knots. He didn't think he could breathe, but found his breath in a laugh at Kyana's answer. "Have a good summer Charlie, see you September First."

Charlie found himself replaying that moment the entire train ride back home. His twin brothers were on their best behavior for fear of what he would tell their mum of their first year escapades if they weren't. Charlie wondered idly if they did more than he knew about but the thought was quickly replaced by another replay of Kyana's parting look.

Charlie frowned running his hand through his hair as he stood up to stretch his legs and do his rounds. He noticed Kyana at school sure, she was a Slytherin, but was never mean to anyone. And she was the only student who stayed at school over the summer holiday. He knew she had been friends with Bill who'd also been the only Prefect or Head who had the balls to tell her to do something. She'd never hexed him either.

Charlie smiled to himself as he thought of her creative hexes. He felt sorry for when some idiot broke her heart, with that creativity, her power, and her Slytherin mind, those hexes were sure to be the worst of all. Charlie shuddered slightly imagining the new ones she'd create. He really hoped the one she used them on wouldn't be him. Charlie stopped when he saw the figure in Slytherin robes coming out of the bathroom clutching a Kneazle. Charlie frowned noticing the condition of the creature and started forward, "Patch, Kyla what happened to him?"

The girl stopped and looked at Charlie, a look of sadness crossed her face before it was replaced with indifference. "Marcus Flint and his goons decided to take out their distaste of me on him. Not that you care."

Charlie frowned, "Kyla, you know I do."

Kyla glared at him, "I used to think I knew you. Then you turned your back on me like your brother did. And apparently it was just me since it's obvious to everyone that you're crushing on Kyana." Kyla shrugged, "forget it Charlie, I have one more year to put up with crap, and then I'm done. With any luck I'll be working with Dragons far away from you. Despite what you think, I don't want you to fail at your dream. I just don't want it to be in the same place as me. But don't pretend Charlie, we're not friends, you care about Patch, but not me, and you know anything that happens to him is only because they're too scared to do it to me. I can take care of him. But I'm sure he thanks you for your concern."

Charlie sighed watching her lock herself into an empty compartment and pull the shades, shaking his head he headed into the bathroom staring at the reflection in the mirror. He didn't look any different than he had when he was eleven. Older surely, a bit taller, but he didn't think he looked an asshole. Obviously looks were deceiving if you looked at the differences in how he treated Kyla and Kyana. Charlie frowned, Kyla had been his best friend until fourth year, Percy had been quite adamant that their connection was to be cut off. He'd managed to convince them too. Especially with what he'd heard their dad telling their mom. He'd done it, and over the past three years since that night he'd managed to be convinced that she hadn't cared about their friendship. Kyana was different, she had been transferred from Beauxbatons two winters prior in his fourth year, and she was sorted into Slytherin but was one of the nicest and most deadly with accuracy when it came to her hexes people he'd met. They got along, weren't friends by any means but they talked companionably when he was sent to get her from where ever she'd managed disappear to during school events. That didn't mean he liked her.

Unbidden the image of the sun beating down on Kyana surrounding her with a soft glow as the Train waited patiently behind her as she smiled at him before she left came to his mind. Charlie's eyes got wide as his stomach knotted painfully again and he whooshed out a breath in surprise as the tightening sent a signal straight to another part of him. Apparently he had a thing for Kyana. Damn he hated when Kyla was right. He'd had a thing for her too, but that had been fleeting when he'd seen how much his brother cared for her. Until Percy came to school. Charlie shook his head with a frown wondering not for the first time just how much of what Percy had told them was true and how much his control freak brother had made up.

Charlie looked at his older brother who was home to visit the family as he grabbed a gnome spinning him around, "Why did you break up with Kyla?"

Bill froze and swore as the gnome sank it's teeth into his arm, giving the creature a good spin he threw him like a Frisbee over the wall. Turning back cast a sanitizing and healing charm on his arm before looking at his brother. "What in the hell brought that on?"

Charlie sighed lifting the hem of his muggle shirt wiping his face with it, "Marcus Flint attacked Patch on the train home. I saw her coming out of the bathroom with him, he looked bad. I know she took care of it, but we talked. Sort of."

Bill sighed, sitting on the wall twirling his wand, "how is she? Really?"

Charlie sat on the sidewalk stretching back looking at his brother, "not good. She's not been to any classes but somehow she's passed everything, I see her with Hagrid all the time, she's not playing Quidditch anymore either. They like to say they kicked her off the team but I know she quit. She's an outcast with the entire school. Even her own house."

Bill sighed running his hand through his hair, "I was afraid of that." Bill frowned taking a look at his brother's bared abdomen, "why are you wearing that ridiculous shirt?"

Charlie looked down, "I like it, it doesn't restrict me and it breathes."

Bill rolled his eyes, "I hope you left it at home during school. It shows everything but your Pecs."

Charlie rolled his eyes, "It's to bloody hot for a shirt period, but I prefer not to be scorched by sunburn like you."

Bill laughed, "It's called a protection charm, and cooling charm. You could do them you know."

Charlie shrugged, "I'm hoping to get a job with Dragons, and I've applied to a couple of places already."

Bill smiled, "you'll get it, in Romania like you want, and your grades are higher than anyone's. And I'm not supposed to tell you this, but there's been a request from Romania, the head man himself, into a portkey, to activate the evening of graduation."

Charlie blinked laying back his hands behind his head, "that could be for Kyla, or anyone of the others who tried, but even if I get it I'm probably going to be working in the stables."

Fred came bursting into the garden a mischievous grin on his face, "Charlie, Kyana's here to see you!"

Bill looked up and bit his lip with a smile and Charlie propped up freezing when he saw Kyana standing behind George with a slight blush on her face. "FRED!"

Fred laughed before grabbing his twin and hopping over the wall freezing, "there's half a gnome over here. Spin him to hard Billy?"

Bill jumped over chasing his brothers leaving Charlie looking embarrassed, "um, hey?"

Kyana smiled blushing slightly, "interesting shirt. Sorry for barging in without notice but I wanted to see you before I go."

Charlie stood up frowning, "go? I'll see you in September right?"

Kyana shook her head, "I've got to go back to Beauxbatons, my father found out I'd managed to transfer myself. He wasn't happy."

Charlie looked at his feet feeling his stomach untie and drop out. "When are you leaving?"

Kyana looked sad "Soon, I have a PortKey back to France."

Charlie nodded, "Can I walk with you to the location?"

Kyana nodded turning and started walking her hands locked behind her back, "I wanted to give you something in person. That's why I came here when I realized the location was around your house."

Charlie stopped walking frowning, "what?"

Kyana shook her head, "not yet, so tell me, how was degnoming the garden?"

Charlie eyed her, "you did it didn't you?"

Kyana laughed, "I had to. Sort of my last hurrah if you will, so how many?"

Charlie shook his head, "Three Hundred, Fifty Seven, and a half."

Kyana made a face but was smiling, "yeah, I fell asleep in the middle of it. That spell was pretty powerful to hit that big, I'll have to remember that." Kyana stopped facing the wide field where they played Quidditch. "We're here."

Charlie frowned hearing the tone of her voice, "You're not going back to France are you?"

Kyana looked down and reached back untying the necklace from around her neck, "I wasn't supposed to want to stay. Until the train station I was confident in my choice to leave. Then you had to come out." Kyana frowned looking up at him, "It wasn't supposed to be like this."

Charlie frowned confused, "what are you talking about? Are you a Veela?"

Kyana laughed humorlessly, "if only I was so lucky. But you have half of it right."

Charlie frowned as Kyana grabbed his hand pushing her necklace into it, "What are you giving me your necklace for?"

Kyana smiled, "Keep it. Dragon Heartstring, and the tooth of a Peruvian."

Charlie frowned and went to hand the necklace back, "Kyana, I can't."

Kyana smiled softly closing his fingers over the necklace and pushing his hand back towards him as she stepped closer. She frowned as she stared into his eyes as if trying to discern something before she took a step and pressed her lips to his. Kyana took a step back her bright eyes were sparkling. "I won't forget you Charlie. Follow your dream, maybe we'll meet again someday."

Charlie blinked himself out of stupor at her words and grabbed her wrist, "Don't go. Stay here, stay with me."

Kyana shook her head pulling her hand free reluctantly her other hand pulling the American coin out of her pocket. Looking back at Charlie she smiled softly, "no one's made me cry in two hundred years. My last chance, and I found you. I won't forget you Charlie, and we will see each other again, and I'll know you, even if you don't know me."

Charlie stood watching as the tears slipped from Kyana's eyes as the portkey activated pulling her to Godric knows where. "Heartbreaking."

Charlie jumped and spun at the unfamiliar voice going for his wand, "Who are you?"

The man smiled his gray streaked dark hair contrasting his weathered face, "Albert Dragomire, I run the Romania Dragon Sanctuary. I have notice from the Ministry that you passed all required tests this past year, which you chose to do early because you believed you were ready."

Charlie nodded stunned, "I did? I passed?"

Dragomire nodded, "according to my notices you did better than anyone who took them this year. I wanted to be the first to offer you a job."

Charlie nodded, "yes! Of course! I wanted to work with you for years, you're legend sir."

Dragomire smiled and held out his hand, "thank you for your praise, but you understand my offer is dependent on you passing your N.E.W.T.s. And you have to pass with O's or better."

Charlie nodded, "of course sir, thank you."

Dragomire nodded, "I look forward to hearing the news then and to being able to welcome you personally to the sanctuary."

Charlie nodded absently watching as the man disapparated. He jumped as he heard Bill's shout. He hadn't realized his brother had been coming across the field. "Bill! He offered me a job. In Romania, I got it."

Bill smiled, "I knew you would, I tried to prepare you, where's Kyana?"

Charlie's excitement vanished and he sucked on his lip, "I don't know. She gave me this though. Says it's Peruvian viper tooth."

Bill frowned as he took in the dragon tooth necklace, "this is the one she wore right?" Charlie nodded and Bill frowned pulling out his wand, "don't flinch, there's something weird about this necklace and I've been dying to find out what since I met her."

Charlie frowned as the necklace started glowing and looked at his brother, "Bill? What did you do? There's no curse on this necklace, I didn't need your expertise."

Bill looked at his brother as he finished his spells and the glowing faded and stopped, "Heartstring, and a tooth. Correct?" Charlie nodded and bill shook his head, "not possible, the spells got to be wrong."

Charlie frowned, "Bill, what are you talking about?" Charlie's stomach tied itself into those pesky knots again and he remembered Kyana's words, 'no one's made me cry in two hundred years.' He had thought about it then. "Bill? What's the spells say?"

Bill looked at his brother his eyes wide, "they're from the same Dragon."

Charlie shrugged, "so? Not impossible."

Bill shook his head, "it is when the dragon who gave its heartstring and a tooth to form that necklace is still very much alive."

THE END... or is it? Wait and see.


End file.
